What If?
by Newgirlystuff
Summary: Collection of one-shots that will offer an alternate ending to those scenes we've all wanted to change. Rating changed to M.
1. Parking Spot

**Hi again! As some of you might know, I'm planning on publishing a series of oneshots based on prompts given by you, the readers. This is the first installment of the story. Feel free to give me your ideas, so I can try and make this summer hiatus lighter for everyone reading. So, with no further ado...**

**What if**... Schmidt hadn't interrupted Nick and Jess _that early_ at the end of "Parking Spot"?

* * *

_"It was me, Jess. I couldn't help it."_

"You dropped your fish sticks." Nick stated, looking down at the floor and then lifting his eyes back to her face.

"Shut up, Nick", Jess breathed. _Just shut up. _

His eyes transfixed on hers, he took a small step forward.

"Listen, Jess", Nick sighed, his hand pinching his nose as he broke their eye contact. _I really don't want to do this now. _"I don't..."

"You couldn't help it?", she whispered, interrupting him. Feeling her eyes burning on him, he dropped his arm to his side and stared at her, trying to decipher her expression. Seeing nothing but honest confusion, he knew he owed her an answer.

Without tearing his eyes away from hers, Nick nodded his head slowly, almost afraid to say anything. _What kind of answer is that?_, he thought. But before he had a chance to open his mouth and explain himself any further, something flashed across her face. Something that he couldn't quite identify, but was somehow certain he had never seen on her face before. _Is that...?_

Not thinking it twice, he leaned forward and pressed his lips firmly against hers, his arms reaching for her hips and yanking her to him. Hoping that she would understand why he'd said those words, and why he'd kissed her in the first place just a few weeks back.

Feeling her surprise, Nick thought he had felt her starting to pull back, when her arms suddenly went around his neck. His heart skipped a beat when he heard her sighing, her body molding against him. Jess dropped her right hand to his shirt and fisted it, running her other hand through his hair. Opening her mouth to him, she moaned softly at his ministrations. Nick's hands worked on their own, roaming over her back and tangling in her soft hair. He moaned, reluctantly breaking the kiss. "I was always better at showing than telling", he whispered, and she smiled lightly.

Resting their foreheads together, Jess closed her eyes. "I'm still confused, Nick", she said. "I mean,..."

"I know, Jess. I'm confused too. I just... I've never had this with anyone else, you see? What you and I have, it's different from any other thing, just like you said. And I can't lose that."

"Why would you lose it?", Jess asked, lifting her head so she could look at him.

"Because that's the way it always works with me. Whenever I get too close... I end up messing things up, Jess. I don't know why, or how. I only know that's the outcome I always get. And I don't... I can't have it happening with you", he sighed, slowly dropping his arms from her hips.

"And why is that?", Jess pressed lightly.

Tilting his head to the side, he stared at her. "Because you mean a lot to me, Jess. I like you, remember?", he chuckled, trying to lighten the mood.

"I like you too", Jess smiled. "But I really need to know how you feel, Nick. Ever since that kiss, I've been wondering. What do you want from me?". Jess knew she was playing with fire, because Nick had never liked nor known how to express himself. But she had to give it a try. However, she was not expecting what came out of his mouth.

"Everything you're willing to give me", he paused._ It's now or never, so might as well tell her everything now_. "I want everything, Jess. I can't go on pretending we're just friends, I don't want to."

A moment passed while Jess tried to process what he'd just said. "You want...a relationship with me?", she asked, feeling the need to hear his reply.

"Yeah", he nodded his head. Unsure of what was going through her head, he quickly added. "But if that's not what you want, then..."

"I do", Jess interrupted for the second time.

"Really?", Nick grinned as his face lit up. "You do?"

Smiling, Jess nodded her head. "Yes. We gotta figure this out, Miller."

The pressure on his chest starting to ease, Nick's arms went around her body again, and he kissed her forehead lightly.

"So...just so we're clear...we're together now?"

"I...guess so. You, me, together", Jess sang lightly, and smiled when she saw him shaking his head. Pressing her lips to his, Jess felt the burden that she'd been carrying on her shoulders starting to ease. Nibbling on his lower lip, she couldn't help but chuckle at how surreal it all seemed now.

"What?", Nick asked. "What's so funny?"

"This. It should be awkward, you know? You and me, getting together? But it feels natural."

Smiling, he nodded his head. "It's weird that this doesn't feel weird", he smiled. "You know...Winston and Schmidt...they knew I had a thing for you. Especially Winston. He was the one who started the whole 'emotional fluffer' thing."

"Oh, really?", Jess smiled. "So this goes back in time, huh? It's not something new?", she asked, although she already knew the answer.

"You know it's not. At least not for me", he teased.

"Hey! Not new for me either!", Jess said, pretending to be offended.

"Oh, come on. It was my freaking awesome kiss that made you look at me in a totally different way. It was an eye-opener", he said, smiling cockingly.

"No, it wasn't. I had thought about...us. Before that. It just... It was more of a fantasy than anything else."

"Yeah, I remember something like 'I can barely stand you', 'You drive me nuts'...", Nick teased her again.

"Well, I remember you saying you didn't want..._the rewards._ You sure you want to follow that path?"

"Hell, no", he answered, and she chuckled.

"Nick", she said, her face serious. "When you kissed me that night...were you hoping...you know?"

"That you would dump Sam and then get together with me? Honestly, no", he said, his mind going back to their very first kiss. "I acted on impulse. I couldn't help it", he repeated, and smiled when he saw her smirk.

"Well, just for the record...It was indeed a great kiss, Nick. You were right."

"I know", he grinned, and she punched his shoulder ligthly.

"Come on, let me take you out to dinner."

"You mean like a date?", Jess said, her eyes bright.

"Yeah. Let's get going, before Schmidt comes back and sees the mess on the floor. If we're lucky, he'll clean it up." Chuckling, they grabbed their coats and headed for the frontdoor together, when it suddenly opened to reveal Schmidt. Eyeing them up and down, he buffed.

_"What are you two doing?"_

* * *

**Review and let me know your thoughts!**


	2. Cooler

**What if... **Sam hadn't been in the apartment at the end of "Cooler"?

* * *

_"I meant something like that"._

As he started to feel the sweat pooling on his back, Nick dropped his hands from her waist, turned around on his heels and slammed his bedroom door shut. Slumping against it, he banged his head and closed his eyes tightly. Wipping his forehead, he walked to his bed and threw himself down onto it, burying his face on the pillows and groaning. _Damn it. This shouldn't have gone that way. _Punching a pillow, he threw his legs over the bed and got into a sitting position, his back to the door. Scratching his head furiously, he slapped himself hard. He knew she had a boyfriend, he knew she was happy...he knew she couldn't stand the thought of cheating, and he knew he shouldn't have kissed her. But all that_ she has a boyfriend_ crap didn't mean a thing to him at that moment. Still tasting her on his lips, the only thing that truly worried him was how he might have hurt her feelings, how he might have hurt her. He knew that she had kissed him back, though, and that brought a cocky grin to his face. Breathing deeply, he opened his eyes and turned his head to the door, as if trying to see if she was still outside.

Meanwhile in the hallway, Jess stood frozen right where he'd left her. Tracing her kiss-swollen lips with her fingers, she stared at his closed door. Had that just happpened? Her roommate, her friend, had just kissed the hell out of her, and then he'd walked out on her. His hands had roamed over her body, and he'd gripped her waist and forced his tongue into her mouth. And then,... then he'd just left. Jess found herself staring at his door when a certain face appeared on her head. Sam. _Oh God, Sam._ Guilt spread in her chest as she remembered her _boyfriend_ for the first time that night. She'd just done the one thing she hated the most: cheating. A part of her wondering what would have happened if Nick hadn't broken their kiss, if he'd tried to take it further... she shivered. Her head still spinning, Jess started to feel her shock turning into anger. _How dare he...?_

Marching over to his room, she didn't bother knocking before yanking the door open and pushing herself into the room, slamming it shut again. The sight of him, as he stared at her, infurated her even more.

"What the hell was that, Nick?", she said, hands on her hips and eyes big and bright.

"Listen, Jess..."

"Don't you "Jess" me! Are you out of your mind? What were you thinking?"

"I...Jess, I wasn't thinking."

"Damn right you weren't! I can't believe you kissed me!"

"Wait... I kissed you?". Nick stood up and took a step towards her, raising his voice. "I might have started it, but I don't remember you complaining nor stopping me from doing it!"

Closing her mouth, Jess balled her fists, aware that he was right. "That's not the point, Nick! You know I have a boyfriend!"

"Yeah, I do. But you didn't seem to mind back there, Jess", he said, getting closer to her.

Pushing him back, she poked his chest. "You launched yourself at me! I...had no reaction time! And that's not the point!", she repeated.

"I was just finishing the game, Jess."

"Right. Except that you kissed me _after_ the game had finished. So you weren't finishing anything, and you had no right to do it!"

"Bullshit. That's not true and you know it. You could have stopped me at any time. And you didn't." Nick folded his arms across his chest. "You wanted to kiss me, Jess. And you enjoyed it."

"That is...not true", she said, lowering her eyes briefly to the floor before she looked up at him again. No longer yelling, she cleared her throat and held his gaze. "And you haven't answered me yet. Why did you do it?"

Sighing, he shrugged his shoulders. "I told ya. Just finishing what we started, you know? I'm sorry, I didn't think you'd freak out that hard. I won't do it again."

Trying to hide her dissappoinment, Jess shook her head. "Oh. So it was just the game."

"Yep. I think I drank a little bit to much, so..."

"Great. Fantastic", Jess replied bitterly, turning on her heels and reaching for the doorknob.

"Hey, hey! What's that now?", Nick grabbed her elbow, spinning her around to look at him. Her eyes looked down at his hand, as they both remembered what had happened when Nick grabbed her in the exact same way that night. Letting go of her, he frowned. "What else do you want me to say?"

"Nothing, Nick. You made yoursef very clear. We both had a lot to drink and you were just finishing the game. I get it." Trying to turn around again, his voice stopped her.

"Wait...why does that make you angry? Isn't it what you wanted to hear?"

"What? I'm not angry, Nick. Look, I'm tired. We'll talk tomorrow, OK?" Pausing to look at him, she forced a smile. Opening his door, she left the room in a rush without waiting for an answer. Staring at the spot where she'd just been standing, Nick scrunched his nose. _Man up,_ he though, as he heard her door close.

Entering her room, Jess got rid of her robe and dropped it on the bed, letting herself fall down next to it. _Just the game. _His words replayed on her head over and over. Kicking her flats aside, she pulled her legs up to her chest and rested her back against the headboard, closing her eyes. Her mind went back to their passionate encounter in the hallway, and she felt goosebumps on her skin as she remembered how strong his arms were, how wonderful he smelled, how demanding but soft his lips were against hers...

The knock on her door startled her, and she opened her eyes just in time to see his head poking through the door. Pushing herself to her feet, she stared at him.

"What is it?"

Stepping inside the room, he shut the door quietly and looked at her. "I, uhm, I'm not done. And I don't want to wait until morning."

Twisting his hands nervously, he took a step forward and scrached his scruff, his eyes not leaving her face.

"I kissed you because I wanted to. I had wanted to kiss you for a while, and I saw a chance. And I took it", he stated bluntly. Feeling his heart beating crazily against his chest, he tried to read her face.

"But then... Why did you walk away?", Jess inquired softly, anger replaced by confussion.

"Because, Jess. You said it yourself. You have a boyfriend, and I crossed a line I shouldn't have crossed. I had no right to do it, and I'm sorry", Nick said, swallowing the lump that was forming in his throat.

"You...wanted to kiss me?", she asked, taking a step towards him. "Why?"

Staring at her, he turtle-faced. "I guess... I really don't know, Jess. All I know is that it's something I had been wanting to do for a long time now."

"And do you want to do it again?", Jess asked, coming dangerously close to him and looking deep into his eyes.

"What?" He widened his eyes at her, and saw the light smile on the corner of her lips.

"I asked you if you want to kiss me again, Miller."

Gulping, he stared down at their arms, that were almost touching. Lifting his eyes back at hers, he sighed. "Yes, I do. But Sam and you..."

"Just forget about Sam, Nick. What do you want?"

After a few seconds holding her gaze, he answered,"I want you, Jess. All of you."

Closing the space between them, Jess leaned forward and kissed him, pulling him closer. His hands sneaked to her back and she wrapped her arms around him, her lips parting as he claimed her mouth for the second time that night. Melting against him, she sighed and he swallowed the sound.

He wasn't sure how much time had passed, only aware of her lips and tongue moving against his as her hands grabbed his shirt. Moaning softly, Jess pushed herself away lightly.

"Wait", she interrupted as they came up for air. "This is not OK."

She let go of him and turned her head to the side, scanning the room. Walking back, she located her phone and scrolled down the screen. "I just texted Sam. I want to have breakfast with him tomorrow."

"Oh", Nick said, as he felt his gut punched. "Uh-huh."

Rolling her eyes, Jess smiled. "I need to tell him about this. I'm going to break up with him."

"What?" Nick stared at her in disbelief. "You're breaking up with him just like that?"

"Well...not just like that. We've been having some...disagreements for a while now. We started badly, I guess deep down I always knew it would never work out between us. And after this...well, I guess I have yet another reason to end things with him."

"So you're breaking up with him...for me?", he grinned, clearly proud of himself.

"Don't get all cocky now, Miller. It was going to happen sooner or later."

"Yeah. But it happened now, so..."Reaching for her hand, he pulled her in for another mind-blowing kiss. When they broke apart, she smiled at him.

"I don't mean to kill the mood, Jess, but we should really go to bed". Seeing her grin spreading across her face, he added. "Alone. You here, me there."

She chuckled and pushed him softly. "I know. But we still have to talk about this, Nick."

"And we will. I'll be waiting for you tomorrow. But right now...", she leaned forward and silenced him with a soft kiss. "I know".

Nodding his head, he walked to her door and looked back at her, smiling. "Goodnight, Jess."

"Goodnigh, Nick."


	3. Naked

**Hello? Anybody still out there? **

**In this chapter I mirrored a situation from one of TV's finest shows ever. Let's see if you guys can see it. And please, review and give me some more prompt ideas. Enjoy!**

**What if... **Amanda wasn't with Nick when Jess dropped the towel in his room at the end of "Naked"?

* * *

_ "Men are simple. You've seen his, show him yours."_

And that's how Jessica Day had ended up in Nick Miller's room, wearing nothing but a towel and nervous as she'd ever been. Breathing slowly, she sat down on his bed as she tried to calm herself. She was about to flash her naked body to her friend. _Her. Naked. Body._

"Ugh!". Standing up, Jess started to pace the room, biting down on her lip. Stopping in front of his mirror, she opened the towel and looked up and down her body. She was thin, but curvy, and she had to admit she was pretty proud of her slender waist, the firmness of her stomach, and the curve of her thighs. Her breasts weren't huge, but just the right size and perfectly shaped. She knew she had a beautiful body, although she was sometimes shy with it. Then, her eyes stopped on her face. Her long, dark curls framed her soft features nicely, and her eyes were even bigger than usual, a darker shade of blue to them as she gazed into the mirror. She had applied some eyeliner and mascara that made them pop, because she knew how they drew men's attention. Smiling, she dropped the towel to the floor and turned around, scannig his room.

And then she heard the front door open and slam shut. Bending over, she quickly grabbed the towel and placed it on his bed, sitting with her legs hanging off the mattress. Her full body on display, Jess flicked her hair to her back and planted her hands on either side of her body, pushing her chest forward and exposing the line of her neck. She felt herself shiver with excitement as she saw the doorknob turn.

The door opened and Nick pushed himself inside his room. His mouth fell open and his eyes grew wide as he noticed her. His keys fell to the floor, but he ignored it as he stared at her. Unable to tear his gaze off her, he just stood there frozen, his hand still on the doorknob as his eyes raked over her exposed body. She smiled and stood up, grinnig when she saw his eyes fixed on her breasts. Feeling extra-confident, she placed her hands on her hips and stared at him, shock evident all over his face._ My God, she's beautiful._ "Are you gonna say something or what?"

Shaking his head, he lifted his eyes and snapped. "What the hell are you doing, Jess?". He kicked the door shut, and focusing on her face for the first time, he noticed how gorgeous and stunning she looked, her eyes a shade of blue he could swear he'd never seen before. Gulping, he forced a frown and stared at her intensely.

Her face falling as the lost confidence, she quickly turned around and reached for the towel, wrapping herself tightly in it. Feeling her cheeks redenning, she mumbled, "I saw yours, now I show you mine." _What?_

"What?"

"I saw your pee-pee and now I show you my gumbo pot", she blurted out. _What?_

Folding his arms across his chest, he scrunched his nose, his face a mix of confusion and amusement. "And why exactly did you think that was a good idea?"

"It's just... Cece said it would make things less weird."

"Right. Cece. Well, Jess, I think it's safe to say she was wrong. This is... You can't just...wait for me in my room and flash me, Jessica!", he yelled, suddenly becoming angry.

"Yeah, I know. I'm sorry, Nick. But you wouldn't even look at me! I had to try and fix it somehow!"

"And embarrasing yourself by showing me your naked body was going to fix it?" No sooner had the words left his mouth, Jess' face fell as she started walking towards his door, the towel firmly wrapped around her. She needed to be out of his room.

"Jess, wait." Nick grabbed her elbow and spun her around. "I didn't mean it to sound like that."

"It's OK, Nick, I get it. It was stupid of me to think that you would...", she interrupted herself and stared at her own feet, purposely avoiding his gaze.

"That I would what? Jess, we're roommates. We can't just go around naked, you know?", he said, chuckling lightly.

"Yeah, I know that", she said, smiling softly.

"Then what is it?"

"Just... The way you looked at me before. For a moment I thought you...were liking what you were seeing", she blushed even harder and hid her face behind her hand.

"Wait a minute...", Nick said, as he connected the pieces. "You think I don't find you attractive?", he said, widening his eyes in horror. As she quietly nodded, he forced her hand down. "Jess, you know you're beautiful."

"You...you think I'm beautiful?", she asked shyly, looking at him and biting down hard on her lip.

Laughing, he shook his head. "Well, I'm not blind, Jess. Of course I think you're beautiful. Hell, I think you're gorgeous. And that's why this was a terrible idea." He stated, and she frowned.

"I'm a man, Jessica! I'm not inmune, you know? Now I'll be picturing you naked all the time!"

"Don't do that!", she yelled, slapping his arm repeatedly.

"What did you expect?", he laughed, as he grabbed her hand still. "Now I can see you naked anytime I want!"

"What?"

"See? I just have to do this...", he paused and closed his eyes, "Aaaaaaand there it is!".

"Nick? Stop it!"

"Nu-huh!", he shook his head while keeping his eyes closed. "I want you to feel the same amount of embarrasment you made me feel with your little 'hihiiii' laugh. And I can see everything!", he grinned, pointing at her now covered body.

"Don't tease me, Nick! Just erase it from your memory!"

"Oh, no", he laughed again. "I can only promise not to share any details with the guys."

"Why would you do that?"

"Are you kidding me? Don't you remember when you saw me naked? Don't you remember Schmidt's questions?"

"Oh, God, no."

"Exactly. He'll want to know everything. Shape, size,..."

"Stop!", Jess yelled again. " I can't believe I let Cece talk me into this!"

"Yeah, well, now that I think about it... I guess I should give her a call and thank her."

"You're not gonna stop, are you?"

Grinning, he shook his head. "Nope."

"Okay. Just remember...Schmidt still doesn't know your..._size and shape._ And I have a pretty good memory too, Miller."

"Don't you dare", he said, before they both started laughing.

"Hey, Jess?", Nick said. "That's a really nice body you got under there."

Smiling, she replied. "Same goes for your..._penis._"

"Well now look at you, all grown up! Finally managed to say it!", he chuckled.

After a few silent moments, Jess looked at him and grinned. "Still thinking about it?"

"Yep."

"Okay. I'll better go."

"Yeah, you should." Looking at her, he couldn't help but smile. "And let's just keep this to ourselves, shall we?"

"God, of course." Turning her back to him, she opened his door. "Goodnight, Nick."

"Goodnight, Jess". Nick smiled as she left his room. Shaking his head, he started walking towards his closet when he heard it.

"_Heathens, Jessica, Nicholas! What on earth are you two animals doing?"_


	4. Valentine's Day

**This one is an M oneshot, guys, so read at your own discretion. You've been warned:) It might become a short story, but I don't know yet.**

**What If..**. it had been Nick, and not Schmidt, at the loft at the end of "Valentine's Day"?

* * *

_"Jess, you don't want your first one-night stand to be with some total stranger. You've got to pick someone who's not gonna make a big deal out of the whole thing. And... whatever you do, leave immediately afterwards."_

"Right, I guess you're right."

"Of course I am", Nick grinned and squeezed her shoulder.

After an awful evening with Julia (his romantic plan had backfired and she'd decided to break up with him- _Happy Valentine's to me!_), he'd bumped into Jess in the hallway. He'd told her about his breakup, and then she'd told him about her equally awful date, trying to laugh the whole thing off, but Nick knew she was only trying to hide her emotions away again. He'd tried to comfort her, blaming Schmidt for leaving her alone and laughing when she told him about their friend's _"Youths everywhere!"_ outburst.

"Ugh! Then I guess I won't be needing these anytime soon", Jess opened her bag and pulled the box of condoms out. Nick widened his eyes in horror as he eyed the package, his mouth hanging open.

"Jess? Are you sure... I mean, are you sure you know how to use condoms?"

Rolling her eyes, she shook the box. "Yeah, I know. Schmidt told me you guys can only go for it twice, three times tops. But I'd already bought this box."

Shaking his head, he chuckled. "You're really one of a kind, Jess."

She smiled at him and lowered her eyes to the floor. Nick pinched his nose and sighed. "Hey, I think I'm going to go to bed. You OK to be alone?"

"Sure. I'll try to get some sleep too", she answered.

"Hm. Just remember what I told you before, alright?", he said, already turning his back to her as he headed for his room. "Night, Jess", he said, the sound of his door closing muffling her answer.

As she was left alone, Jess clutched the box of condoms to her chest, Nick's words replaying on her head. _You've got to pick someone who's not gonna make a big deal out of the whole thing. Never a stranger. _Bitting her lip, she widened her eyes as a thought crossed her mind.

_Did he...? Would he...? _

Staring at his closed door, she grinned. He was her friend, after all, so not a stranger there. And then... there was something different between them. She loved all of her three roommates, sure, but Nick an her shared something special, something she couldn't quite put a label on. But she knew it was there. And she was sure he knew it too_. And he's single now, isn't he?_

Looking down at herself, she straightened her short pants and took off her shoes, careless throwing them along with the box into her room. Walking inside, she looked at her reflection in the mirror. All claded in black, her hair loose around her shoulders and her eyes smokey. Her hands pushed her shirt a little bit down, exposing the tops of her breast. Glad she was wearing the push-up bra Cece had forced her to buy, she smiled at herself and spun around, looking over her shoulder. Following the line of her back, she wiggled her butt and chuckled at the sight. She lowered her pants and removed the black tights, quickly putting her pants back on. A devilish grin creeping over her face, she poked her head outside the room and breathed deeply.

_Why not him?_

Her decision already made, she grabbed the box of condoms and marched over to his room, stopping at the door. Raising her hand, she stopped herself before knocking and took a deep breath. Starting to feel unsure about her plan, he chewed on her lower lip. Memories of Nick and her together over the past year started to fill her mind, and she smiled as he thought of her clumsy, grumpy, but very attractive roommate. She was pretty sure she'd never had that connection with a guy, and she just... Couldn't miss such a chance.

_So why not him?_

Taking another deep breath, she opened his door and pushed herself into his room. Lying on his bed, Nick had his arms across his face, but he immediatly sat up, startled at the sound.

"Fuck, Jess! What are you doing?", he said, his hand clutching his chest. "You scared the hell outta me!"

"Sorry! I'm so sorry!", she yelled back, frozen in place.

Standing up, he rounded the bed and approached her. Hands on his hips, he stared at her questioningly. "What?", he said, his voice a lower tone.

Shyly, she held the box of condoms up and waved it in front of his face.

"I was thinking that maybe...", she said, suggestively.

"Maybeeee...what?", he said, clearly not following. "You actually don't know how to use them, do you?"

"No, it's not that. You see, what you said before..."

"What?"

"I just thought... Maybe you and me could...shake things up a little bit?"

As soon as the words left her mouth, his eyes widened as he understood her intention.

"What? Are you...?", his eyes got even bigger when he noticed the box in her hands. _She wants to have sex with me!_

"What do you say? Are you in or are you out?", she said, walking over to his nighstand and placing down the box she was holding.

"Am I... Jess, are you listening to yourself now?"

"Why?"

"Because you sound crazy, that's why!" _Why am I even trying? Just say yes already!_

"Why? I'm just following your advice, Nick!"

"You don't... That's not how it works, Jess. We're friends!"

"Uh...Yeah! Which makes you not a stranger, right?"

"Jess, we can't do this. It could ruin everything we have so far..."

"Or we could get something amazing! People do this all the time!"

"Do what?"

"The 'friends with benefits' thing!"

"Friends with... Wait, you want to do it more than once?". _Yes, yes, yes. Do it. Just say yes._

"Well, yeah. Maybe. I guess so, yeah. What, can't you take it, Miller?"

"Me? Meh. I'm a guy, Jess. I'm perfectly fine with meaningless sex with beautiful women", he said, using the same words she'd used with him months before and watching her blush. "You're the one that can't compartmentalize and separate sex from love!"

"Who says that?"

"Come on, Jess. Admit it."

"There's nothing to admit, Nick. I'm offering you sex. We would be just two friends who ocassionaly have sex. Can you take it or not?", she dared. " Do you want it or not?", she lowered her voice and took a step forward and closer to him.

"You're on, Jessica". Stepping closer, he framed her face with his hands and captured her lips between his, quickly forcing his tongue inside her mouth. His hands grabbed her hips as her arms went around his neck, drawing him closer as she melted into the kiss. Spinning her around, he started pushing her towards his bed, stopping when her legs hit the mattress. "You sure?", he asked, breathlessly. She grabbed his shirt and let herself fall onto the bed, pulling him down with her and resuming their kissing. "Guess that's a yes", he muttered between kisses. Hooking her leg around his waist, she rolled them on the bed and straddled his lap, her hands quickly lifting his shirt. He sat up and she pressed their chests together while nibbling on his lip.

Nick's hand sneaked between their bodies and he managed to get rid of her shirt, his eyes darkening as they leveled with her breasts. Starting to kiss and nip at the skin there, he heard her deep moan and felt her hand pulling at his hair. "God, Nick", she mumbled, her head falling back. Not wasting any time, he unsnapped her bra and let it fall down her arms. "You're beautiful, Jess", he whispered, and then his mouth was back on her breast. But then, in a second, she forced his head up and started pulling his jeans and boxers down his legs, while he unzipped her pants and threw them across the room. Jess started rubbing herself against him, pushing him on his back and placing her hands on his chest to steady herself. Aware that her panties were the only barrier between them, his hand shot to the nighstand were she'd placed the condoms. Blindy reaching for one, he smiled when she grabbed the condom from him and rolled it down on him. Then, she lifted herself lightly off him and removed her underwear, sighing when she felt him against her core.

"Last chance to stop this, Miller."

Grinning, he leaned forward and sucked on her lip. "No problem here, Day".

Nodding her head, she saw him maneuvering between their bodies as he placed himself at her opening. Without warning, he pushed inside and she groaned loudly at the sudden intrusion. Stilling inside her, he grabbed her hips and waited for her to adjust to his size. Trying not to move, he focused on her face. Her eyes were closed and there was a light blush to her cheeks, and to Nick, she'd never looked more beautiful than then.

"Open your eyes, Jess."

The sound of his voice was enought for her to snap, and she started moving her hips slowly, soft moans leaving her throat. They found their rhythm easily, and it wasn't long before they both felt the familiar feeling of a building climax. Wanting to slow things down, Nick rolled her on her back, ignoring her soft protest, and felt her legs going around his waist, as her feet started digging into him. Aware that they were both way past the point of no return, he increased his tempo while kissing the line of her neck, and was soon feeling the muscles around him starting to clench. Jess arched her back and muffled a scream against his shoulder, her nails raking over his back as she marked him. It only took Nick a few more trusts before he followed her, whispering her name over and over. And then he collapsed on top of her, exhausted and spent.

Pulling out of her body, he rolled to his side and stared at the ceiling, as they both tried to calm their breathing. He disposed of the condom and fell back against the pillows, looking at her relaxed form. Turning her body to him, she smiled.

"That was...so much better than expected!"

"What?", he frowned, looking at her confused.

"You were right! You are good in bed, Nick!", she chuckled.

Resting his head on one hand, he started tracing the curve of her hip. "Told ya."

Smiling, she closed her eyes and lingered on his touch. When she opened them, she was met with his stare.

"Hey, Jess? We're OK now, aren't we? I mean...this isn't gonna be weird, right?"

"Of course not! But we can still...do this?"

"It's fine by me!", he said, and she playfully pushed him back.

"Then I guess...I better be going", she sat up and scanned his room, looking for her clothes. Getting out of his bed, she grabbed her underwear and put it back on, smiling as she saw him staring at her from his position on his bed. "Like what you see?"

"Obviously", he grinned. When she was dressed, she approached Nick's side of the bed and sat down on it, as he moved his body to make room for her. "This was great, Nick."

"Yeah, it really was."

Giving him a quick peck on the lips, she stood up and started walking towards his door. "See you tomorrow, then?"

Nodding his head, he smiled at her. "Sure thing, Jess". Watching her dissappear behind his door, he slumped back on the pillows and covered his eyes with his arms. Glancing at his nightstand, he stared at the box she'd left there. Her fruity smell all over his now empty sheets, he sighed and punched the mattress. _This is not going to be enough._

Meanwhile across the hall, Jess was tucked under her cold sheets, trying to convince herself that everything would be the same in the morning, but knowing that was not what she wanted. Sighing, she buried her face on the pillows. _This is not going to be enough._

**FIN**

* * *

**Please, don't forget to review. I really need some feedback, because I wasn't confident publishing this chapter.**


	5. Cruise

**I'm so sorry this one took me such a long time. I hope you're still interested in this short stories! Please remember to review and let me know your thoughts and ideas. Enjoy!**

**What If...** Nick _had_ kissed Jess during the last episode of season 3, Cruise?

* * *

_"You look like you belong here."_

His eyes locked with hers and he took a moment to admire those blues he had loved for years, that were the perfect complement to her already oustanding beauty. His hand shot out to her and he placed his palm on her cheek, caressing the skin there softly. Glancing down briefly, he noticed her mouth lightly open as her tongue darted out to wet her lips. And that's when he realized what a stupid mistake it had been to let her go. His brain shut down as he started to lean forward, suddenly pressing his lips against hers before he could think it twice.

Swallowing her gasp of surprise, his tongue started to explore her mouth. Unbelievable sensations exploded inside him when he felt the first circle of her tongue against his. Grabbing her head in his hands, he kissed her harder and felt her moan as her hand fisted his shirt, drawing his body closer. Whispering around them reminded Nick of the fact that they were not alone, and he broke the kiss to stare into her eyes.

Watching her stunned expression, he felt his back starting to sweat.

"I'm sorry. I don't know where that came from", he blurted out, the voice in his head immediately screaming at him. He scrunched his nose at her, knowing that she probably knew he was lying. Her face fell at his words.

"Oh. You... Don't know where that came from? That's it?", Jess said, pushing him back and folding her arms across her chest. "That's all you're going to say?". Her face had lost any trace of amusement it might have had, and it had been replaced by annoyance.

"I don't...", Nick moved away from her and started muttering under his breath. "I'm sorry", he said, getting up as he tried to ignore the look on her face. Turning around, he started to walk away from her and to the cabins, but it was only seconds before she was by his side. Grabbing his arm, she stopped him before he opened the door and made him spin around to face her.

"Don't you even try it", she said, pointing her finger at him. Her face was flushed and her eyes were bright, the only sound on deck the breathing of them both. "Don't you walk away on me." She was pissed now, and his reaction wasn't making it any better.

"Listen, Jess...", he started.

"No, Nick! You can't just do stuff...", she waved her hands in the air. "And then leave like nothing happened! You always do the same thing!" Seeing him struggle with words only infuriated her more.

"I don't know what to say, Jess. I'm sorry."

"Will you stop with the "I'm sorry" already?", she said, hands on her hips as she waited for him to talk. A few seconds passed, and he just stood there looking at her, no words coming out of his mouth.

"You are a coward", she hissed. Pushing him back, she moved to walk past him. But his strong arm caught her wrist and stopped her as she was reaching for the doorknob. His eyes burned into her as he walked her backwards, pressing her against the wall. Placing his hands on either side of her head, he leaned forward until their noses were almost touching and his body caging hers.

"Stop it, Jess."

She looked at him and raised her chin defiantly. "Oh look at that, I finally got a reaction", she spit the words bitterly. "Are you actually going to say something?". She knew she was overreacting- after all, she had kissed him back- but she just couldn't stop talking.

"I said stop it, Jessica."

"No, I won't stop it, _Nicholas_! This isn't working! This is not what friends do!"

"Don't you think I know that, damn it?", he smacked his palm flat against the wall, the sudden movement and his roar startling her. "I'm not fucking blind, OK?", he lowered his voice. She had never seen him so mad and upset and broken before, and it killed her to see him in pain. "I know it isn't working, Jess", he said, letting his head fall back in a defeated gesture. Closing his eyes, he breathed deeply and looked at her again. "But the thing is... I don't want it to work." There, he'd said it.

"What?", she widened her eyes and then frowned. "What do you mean?", she asked.

"I mean..." he stopped himself. Breathing deeply again, he pressed their foreheads together, breathing her in and not missing the soft gasp that came out of her mouth the moment his skin touched her.

"Nick...", she whispered. She wanted to say no, she wanted to push him back, to run somewhere away from him... But somehow she found her arms going around his waist as she closed her eyes. _Damn, she missed him._

"What, Jess?", he asked, tilting his head back. Staring into her eyes, he felt a sudden impulse to hug her and bury his face in her shoulder. _Damn, he missed her._

"I don't know", she said, feeling her throat burning as tears started to cloud her vision. "I don't know", she repeated, unable to stop a small sob from escaping her.

His arms went around her body and he hugged her close to him, as they listened to the soft sounds of the sea around them. They stood like that for a while, none of them wanting to let go. Memories of their time together filled their minds and they relaxed into each other, their bodies pressed close and swaying slightly under the moon. Pushing herself off him, she traced his jaw slowly, her eyes following her finger. Stopping right under his mouth, she traced his lower lip slowly. And before she knew it, it was her pressing her lips to his. She felt him tense for a second, but he opened his mouth to her as his hands gripped her hips posessively, dragging her as close to him as he could. She moaned softly and ran her hands through his hair, kissing him until they had to come up for air.

"We're so not doing this right", Nick said, not losing the hold he had on her.

"No, we're not", she agreed.

"Jess...", he sighed. "Can't we just go back a few weeks? Forget all of this ever happened and just..."

"Be us again?", she finished, and he nodded his head. Her lip quivered slightly. "But what if we blow it up again? I...we... I don't think we could take it", she said, fear evident in her trembling voice. "I can't lose you, Nick. I can't", she said, and he just threw his arms around her.

"Hey, hey... Jess, I promise you... No matter what happens between us, you are not going to lose me. Ever", he said, hugging her tight against his chest. "You hear me? I'm serious, Jess." She muffled her approval on his shirt, and he chuckled at the sound. Smiling, she pulled back to look at him.

"Are we doing this, then?", she asked, her hand fisting his shirt.

"We are", he answered immediately. "Jess, I need you to know... I don't want any of those things. I don't care about Mars, I don't want a truck, I'm not naming my child Reginald...", she chuckled at this. "You mean the world to me, Jess."

"I... Nick...", Jess was the one struggling for words now. "I love you. And we don't need to plan our future, I just..."

His lips silenced her as he cupped her face in between his hands. "I know, God. I know." He kissed her in desperation, and she choked back the tears that had been threatening to spill from her eyes. Laughing softly, she threw her arms around his neck and nibbled at his lips, drawing a groan from him.

"We're so stupid", Jess said in between kisses. "I'm so sorry."

"I'm sorry too", he kissed her one more time and then reached for her hands. "You know I love you too, right?"

"I would hope so", she laughed, kissing his lips again. "Nick, I don't mean to kill the mood, but it's starting to get chilly out here..."

"Oh, come on, Jess. This was so romantic! On a cruise, under the moon...", he teased her. "Huh... I guess we could head inside", he smiled, opening the door for her.

They started walking together hand in hand, stopping in front of their door.

"Do you want to tell the guys yet?"

"I don't know. It could be our sexy little secret."

"Oh, that could be fun!"

Wrapping their arms around each other, they kissed again, deeply and pasionately. Their lips still joined, they heard the door opening to reveal four very shocked faces.

"_What are you two doing?"_


	6. First Date

**Last chapter's reception blew me away! Thank you, thank you to all of you who reviewed, especially the anon-trio. I wasn't going to post this so soon, but... Consider it a gift. Just because reviews make me and my muse happy.**

**This is definetely M -Yay!-, and I will probably change the rating of the story, seeing as one out of three one shots are M rated... But you don't mind, do you?**

**What If**... Nick and Jess' first date went a little different than we saw?

* * *

_"Night, Miller"_

_"Night, Day"_

Jess sighed as she let herself rest back against her now closed door. Her head was spinning and she tried to control her trembling body, but she could do nothing to keep her heart from beating hard against her chest. Opening eyes she hadn't realised she'd closed, she turned her head to the side and rested her cheek on the door. The last few hours replayed on her mind, and Jess had to admit they'd had an amazing time together. Definetely not what she expected when she agreed to go out to dinner with him. Starting with the restaurant, so fancy, so elegant, so... Not Nick. Did he do that for her? She would have settled for the hotdog stand just to be with him. Did he still think that she needed more from him than he could offer?

Shaking her head, Jess walked to her bed and placed the food down on her bedside table. She then kicked her flats aside before sitting down on the mattress. She sighed again and stared at the door, a sudden impulse to yank it open and run into his room making her palms ache.

"Ugh!", she groaned, letting her body fall back on the bed. _What is wrong with me?,_ she thought. _It's just Nick. Nick Miller, her friend. Nick, the lazy 'writer'. The grumpy bartender. The cranky old man who ate with his hands... But her Nick. _Jess sat back up as she realised where her thoughts were headed._ My Nick?_

She jumped from the bed and started pacing the room back and forward. Everything had changed so much in the past couple of weeks... From that very first kiss that still sent shivers running down her spine every time she thought about it, to the mind-blowing make up session on their kitchen table... And in the meanwhile, Nick had being struck with the death of his father. Jess had held his hand throught the funeral, hoping to help his pain go away. She'd sang for him, her eyes never leaving his as she tried to make him see how much he meant to her. How special he was, and how lucky she felt to have him in his life. No words had been spoken between them in those weeks, but Jess knew, she_ knew_ he understood. And she knew he felt it too.

And now there they were, trying to figure out what exactly was going on between them. _What did they want from each other?, _she sighed. Thinking about the cards they'd written made her tremble. _What did he want from her? _Jess thought back to their passionate encounter after she'd admitted she wanted him. The mere thought of his lips and hands on her was enough to make her stomach flip, as a warm sensation spread over her body. Jess shivered and shifted her weight from one foot to the other. _Was that all he wanted from her? _Staring at her door again, she found herself turning the doorknob before she knew it._ Fuck waiting._

* * *

Nick groaned into his pillow. _Russell and his freaking cards,_ he thought. _Everything was going so well... _Shaking his head, Nick tried to clear his mind. He had planned the perfect date for her; he'd put on a fancy suit and made reservations for one of the best restaurants downtown. But still, it hadn't been enough. Her ex-boyfriend had shown up, triggering loads of questions between them and keeping him from ending the night the way he'd expected.

_Ugh_. Nick sat up in his bed. _Damn it. This is not how it was supposed to be. _From that very first kiss, the only thing he'd regretted was not doing it sooner. Before Sam, hell, even before Russell. But what he didn't know then was that she wanted him. God, she wanted him too. His mind went back just a little over two weeks ago, when he had sat her on the table and kissed her with everything he had. He had been so close to taking her right there and then, crossing every line they had left. _If it wasn't for the broken fishtank.._. Nick shivered.

And then he felt a slight pain to his chest as he remembered Walt. His sudden death had brought his family together again. Only this time, she'd been there with him. _For_ him. Nick felt his chest swelling with gratitude towards her, and he ran his hand over his face. _She wants me and I want her, why does it have to be so hard?, _he thought. Staring at his door, he snorted. _Fuck it._

He stood up just to hear a knock on his door. Freezing, he widened his eyes as he saw her entering his room barefoot. His eyes met hers and he let out a breath that mirrored her own.

_God, she's so beautiful._

_God, he's perfect._

Without a word, she walked up to him and threw her arms around his neck, crashing their lips together and making him stumble back lightly. His knees gave him away as he fell onto his bed, pulling her on top of him. He looked at her questioningly, but she leaned forward and kissed him again, her legs on each side of his body. He immediatly pressed her to him, opening his mouth to her eager tongue and groaning as her hands pulled on his hair. Running his hands down her body, he grabbed her ass and squeezed, eliciting a moan that was muffled against his mouth. Unbuttoning his shirt and pushing it past his shoulders, she threw it on the floor and gasped loudly when he rolled her onto her back. He started kissing her neck as she rocked her body up and into him, her moans and gasps driving him wild with need. He got rid of her shirt and fixed his eyes on her lacy pink bra, her chest moving up and down due to her ragged breathing. He nipped at the soft skin of her breasts, her own hand quickly unsnapping the garment and throwing it across the room. He latched his mouth on her breast and sucked, and she cried out his name in pleasure. Somehow, the loud noise brought him back to his senses and he let go of her.

"Why'd you stop?", she breathed, unaware of his expression, her voice pure sex. _Jesus._

Her hand grabbed hold of his head and she forced it down on her mouth. He lost himself on the kiss before breaking away again.

"Jess, wait...", he mumbled, trying to stop her from reaching lower.

"What?", she asked, dropping her hands from his back. "What's wrong?"

She was staring up at him, naked from the waist up as she rested on her elbows. Nick gulped audibly and forced his eyes up to her face.

"Jess, what... What are we doing?"

She lifted her eyebrows, clearly amused. "I mean...", he continued. "What is this? One moment we're arguing and now we're..." Placing her finger on his lips, she stopped his mumbling. He closed his eyes at the gesture, knowing that she understood.

Jess pushed him back ligthly so she could sit straight in the bed. Smiling, she caressed his cheek as he lingered into her touch. "Nick... I want this", she whispered.

"I want it too", he added quickly.

"I just need some..."

"I know", he said. "Jess, I don't want to mess this up. I need to know how you feel, I need to know you're not going to regret this in the morning or..."

"What?", she said, almost horrified. "Why would you say that?"

"Because, Jess! That's my thing! I don't think, I just act!"

"Nick...", Jess took his hand. "Listen to me. I want this", she repeated.

"I know, Jess...", he interrupted her, sighing.

"You are not listening to me", she said. "Nick, I want this. All of it, and I want it with you."

He stared at her intensely for a few seconds, his heart beating like crazy. "But I need to know how_ you _feel, Nick", she threw his words back at him. "Ever since that kiss, I've been wondering what you want, what you feel..."

He grabbed her arm and yanked her to him, crashing her lips against his and silencing her. "I want everything, Jess. Everything", he said. Smiling as her arms went around his neck, he gently pushed her to lay back on the bed. Positioning himself between her legs, he got rid of his belt and threw it on the floor dramatically, which made her chuckle. "I want this...", he kissed her shoulder blades and she gasped, closing her eyes. "This...", he continued, tracing down her chest as she arched her back. "This...", he placed a trail of wet kisses on her stomach. Moving back up, he waited for her to open her eyes. Leaning forward, he pressed their lips together in the slowest but most meaningful kiss they'd shared. "And this", he whispered, resting their foreheads together. A few seconds passed as they stood still, breathing each other in.

"Nick?"

"Mmmh?"

"Can you get me naked now?"

He chuckled loudly. "What happened to no sex on the first date, miss Day?", he teased, as he saw her hands unsnapping her own pants.

"I think we're past that formality", she laughed, watching him remove her jeans and throw them away carelessly. "Where did you get this suit?", she muttered, fighting to push his pants down his legs.

"Schmidt", he said, smiling as she scrunched up her nose in disgust.

They fumbled to get rid of their underwear and got under the covers, their lips glued together and moans filling the room. Her legs went around his waist as she arched her body up. His arm shot to his nightstand and he blindly pulled out a condom. His hand dissapeared between their bodies as he managed to roll it down his lenght.

"Nick, please, I need..."

"What?", he teased, "What do you need?"

"Oh, God!", she gasped as he bit her neck. "You, Nick. I need you!"

He pushed himself inside her body as soon as the words left her mouth, kissing her fiercely and groaning as he felt her around him.

"Fuck", he cursed. She felt so tight that he actually feared he could hurt her, and when she moaned loudly he had to ask. "Am I hurting you?"

"No", she answered, and rested her head back against his pillow. His hand gripped her hip and he lifted her body, trying to get even closer. Moving slowly, he gave her time to adjust to him.

"Nick...", she tried. "You can move, it's OK."

He nodded his head and increased his pace, delighted to hear her crying out his name. Nick felt her nail digging in his back, and he was pretty sure it was going to leave a mark. Burying his face in her neck, he started thrusting harder and faster, her moans encouraging his movements. His hand went around her waist and he lifted her body, changing their angle so he could thrust deeper.

"Nick!", she screamed, every nerve on her body running wild. "Yes!"

"Fuck, Jess!", he groaned when he felt her teeth grazing his earlobe.

It wasn't long before he felt her starting to shatter around him, but he didn't slow his pace, determined to give her as much pleasure as possible. He felt her hand pulling on his hair and lifted his head to meet her eyes, now a darker shade of blue as her climax ripped through her. Looking down at her, he felt his stomach flip at the sight. And that sight was his undoing, as he quickly followed her into release. He rested his weight on his forearms, and she moved her head to the side so she could press a kiss to his shoulder.

"Oh my God, Jess", he mumbled , rolling around so she could rest on top of him. "Oh, boy!"

"Are you OK?", she muttered, propping her trembling body up on his chest and staring at him.

"I think that's supposed to be my line", he chuckled, and she joined him. "But yeah. Never better."

"Me too", she giggled. Moving slowly, he grabbed a tissue and wrapped up the used condom, throwing it all into the trash can without leaving the bed. Falling back down, he smiled at Jess and brought her closer to him.

Snuggling against him, Jess kicked the sheets aside and placed her leg between his, sighing softly. Their breathing was returning to normal, and she was now tracing circles with her finger on his lower stomach, her eyes closed. Watching her face, he knew something was up.

"What is it, Jess?"

"Hmmm?", she lifted her eyes.

"I can hear you thinking."

"I was just thinking about the cards", she said.

"Oh."

"It's alright, Nick. We're over that now."

"Liar", he chuckled. "You want to know what I wrote!"

"What?", she exclaimed. When he kept laughing, she smiled. "So what? I'm curious."

"Oh, I know", he smiled.

"I wrote our names", she blurted out.

"What?"

"I... All I knew for sure was that I wanted us to be..._us_", she blushed at her own words. "And then I freaked out and wrote 'Us'. Does that make sense? It doesn't. God, it sounds awful. Why would I write that?"

"Fate", he said.

"What?"

He shrugged. "I wrote 'fate'. I knew what I wanted it to be, but not how it would turn out to be. I could only hope, you know?"

Jess felt her eyes clouding. "Nick, that's..."

"Hey, don't do that", he said, kissing the tear that was cascading down her cheek. "It was just a stupid card. Don't let that ruin the outcome", he smiled, framing her face in his hands.

"You are amazing, Nick", she whispered. "And I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry about, Jess."

Pulling her body on top of him, he kissed her. "But I still have the night to make it up to you. In any way you want", she smiled at the face he made.

"Don't even think one night is going to be enough", he grinned. "I just realized I'm really mad at you."

"Then I better start showing you just how sorry I am", she whispered against his lips, closing the gap between them.

* * *

**Did I go too far? Or did you likey?**


	7. Winston's Birthday

**SEASON PREMIERE TONIGHT! This is my gift to all of you!**

**OK, so the wonderful Mrnickmiller and a few anons both here and on Tumblr (newgirlystuff, y'all) asked for a different approach to _Winston's Birthday_. I hope it meets your expectations, even though it's shorter than usual. No M this time -sorry-, and next chapter will most likely be set during _Chicago_, as suggested by ****Ashleighxx.**

**Enjoy! And don't forget to leave your suggestions:)**

**What If**... Schmidt and Elizabeth hadn't interrupted Nick and Jess' romantic rooftop dinner/breakfast at the end of _Winston's Birthday_?

* * *

_"This is the breakfast I was going to give you this morning."_

Jess felt the smile creeping on her face as she approached him slowly. Coming closer, she lifted herself up on her toes and pressed her lips to his, the smell of his Old Spice surrounding them as she carefully held onto his shoulders. She broke away and smiled at him, her eyes never leaving his.

"Thank you", she whispered, eyeing the food. "It looks delicious."

"Well...", Nick scrunched up his nose and she chuckled. "At least it's edible", he said, joining her laughter. Pulling the chair back, he waited for her to sit and then moved his chair closer. "God, I'm so hungry!", Jess exclaimed. Watching her forking the scrambled eggs hungrily and stuffing her mouth, he smiled. She met his stare and smiled back at him, clinking their glasses of orange juice together. They ate in comfortable silence, enjoying the light of the stars and the peaceful setting around them. Lost in their own thoughts, none of them realized they were holding hands across the table and staring at each other. Blinking rapidly, Jess smiled.

"Hey, Nick?", she put her fork down and leaned forward. "I hope you didn't take my father seriously. You know, back at the loft?"

_Oh, he knew. And it terrified him to think that it could be in the least true. _Nodding his head, Nick kept his mouth shut. Bob's words had been haunting him ever since he'd heard them, and had somehow managed to kill his for once excellent mood and leave him wondering if Jess felt the same way.

"He has no idea what he's talking about. He likes to do that kind of stuff, it's his thing. He's been doing it for years now, so just...", she sighed. "I want you to know I don't think that of you. I know none of it is true, I don't care what my father says ", she said vehemently. She knew her dad was trying to protect her because he wanted what he thought was best for her. But she also knew she already had that. _I need him to know I already have it._

Her eyes were sparkling in the dim light of the rooftop, and Nick felt some relief at her words. But her Bob's killing stare and dissaproving looks were still imprinted in his memory. _What if he is right?._ Nick shivered. _What if I'm not right for her? _Almost as if she'd heard his thoughts, she stood up and extended her hand in his direction. Standing up, he laced their fingers together and followed her steps around the rooftop. They stopped as they reached the ledge, and Jess let out a sigh. Her eyes fixed on the city lights, she turned around lightly so she could rest her head on his shoulder while still looking at the characteristic buildings she'd grown to love. Nick rested his cheek on the top of her head, and felt her body swaying slightly against his. Tightening his grip around her waist, he pressed a kiss to her hair and allowed himself to close his eyes. They just stood like that for a while, listening to the distant noises coming from the city.

Pulling back lightly, Nick waited for Jess to lift her head from his shoulder. Staring into his eyes, she leaned forward and captured his lips between hers, his hands roaming over her back. When they broke apart, Nick rested their foreheads together. _So here it goes._

"Jess?"

"Mmmmhhh?"

"I, uh... About last night...", he started. She opened her eyes wide, and her smile encouraged him to go on. "I mean, it was real fun, right?"

"Yeah", she chuckled, remembering how she'd woken up to the exact same words. Smiling at her, he placed a strand of hair behind her ear and rubbed her cheek gently. "It was amazing", she concluded. "We're pretty good at it, Miller."

Chuckling at her goofiness, he felt himself starting to relax. He still had his arms around her waist, and her hands were pressed flat against his chest. And she could read everything on his face.

"Nick... Stop it."

"Stop what?", he asked, a confused look plastered on his face.

"Stop thinking about it. We're doing this, alright?", she pressed her hands on his chest. "We're doing this", she repeated, almost to herself. "I don't care about my father, or the guys... Nick, I just...", she breathed. "I just want you", she said, her eyes focusing on his chest. He felt his stomach turn at her words and his heart start to beat like crazy against her hands, and he was sure she could feel it.

Leaning forward, he pressed his lips to hers and forced her mouth open, groaning when her hands grabbed his shirt and pulled him closer. Her body melted against his, and he deepened the kiss, their pulses racing. When they had to come up for air, Nick smiled as he saw the faint blush that had spread across her cheeks. "Wow", he whispered, resting his lips on her forehead and breathing slowly. Pulling back to look at her, he cupped her face in his hands. "Jess... I... Are you sure you want this?"

Before she had a chance to speak up, he shook his head. "I mean all of it. I want it all, Jess. I tried to tell you last night, but...", he couldn't hold back a grin. Smiling at him, she nodded her head. "God, yes, Nick. I'm sure." Breaking out into laughter, she threw her arms around his neck. "I can't believe we're...", she interrupted herself and just launched her mouth onto his. He stumbled back, surprised by the strenght of her kiss, and wrapped his arms around her, steading himself. She pulled back and traced his swollen lips with her finger, as he caressed her cheek.

"I'm so tired", she chuckled. "Can we just go home?", she begged, supressing a yawn.

"Yeah", he said, dropping his arms from her body. "I'll clean all of this tomorrow."

She took her hand in his and started to walk them towards the door. They stopped when they reached the elevator, and Jess pressed the button. Looking down at their joined hands, he followed her inside the elevator. "We should try to be quiet. I don't want to wake your dad."

Rolling her eyes at him, she grinned. "Uhm... You do realize we're spending the night together, right?"

"Jess..."

"Don't start, Nick", she interrupted. "Straight up sleeping, no funny business. At least until morning", she added, a smirk on her face.

"But what if..."

"Nicholas Miller", she said, just as the doors started to open. Walking up to their door, she turned to look at him. "We're going to bed now. We're going to sleep next to each other, and we're waking up together. And maybe we'll even go at it again before we have to leave for the wedding."

"Oh God", he muttered. "You're gonna be the death of me, woman. Do you really expect me to sleep now?"

"That's up to you", she smiled. Pushing the door open, she walked inside the apartment and waited for him to react. When she saw him start to move, she headed for her bedroom, and he was quick to follow her and close the door behind them. Turning around, he saw she was already barefoot and had lost the pink robe. Gulping audibly, his feet dragged him in her direction without him even noticing. "You're so beautiful, Jess", he whispered, and she bit her lip. "Come on", he smiled. "Let's get some sleep. Maid of honor needs to rest", he added, kicking his shoes aside. They got under the covers and Jess rolled over to his side, sliding her arms around his waist and placing her head on the crook of his neck. Placing a soft kiss there, she smiled.

"Goodnight, Nick."

"Goodnight, Jess." His arm wrapped around her waist and he brought her closer to his body, as he finally closed his eyes and allowed sleep to overcome him.


	8. Chicago

**As promised, Chicago comes next. I personally love this episode, but I think you might find this twist interesting. I'd love to hear new suggestions!**

**What If**... Jess and Nick had a moment together (and alone) before boarding back home in the Chicago episode?

Set after the funeral, but before Bonnie hugs them goodbye.

* * *

"_I have your back. No matter what, no matter how stupid it gets.__ I'm gonna be there, and I'm gonna hold your hand."_

"To Walt!"

Two bottles clinked together in the middle of the night. Jess had sneaked out of her room, barefoot and in her sleepwear, and had managed to get a hold of two beers before timidly knocking on his door. "Figured you might want some company", she'd whispered to his sleepy form, smiling when he wordlessly stepped back to let her in. Turning around to face him, she'd offered him a beer and encouraged him to make the toast he hadn't been able to make after the funeral. He'd nodded his head and sat down on the bed, waiting for her to join him. Raising his bottle, he'd looked into her eyes and they'd both taken a long sip of beer, listening to the silent house before he'd smiled teasingly at her.

"What?"

"Beer, Day? At midnight?"

She blushed furiously, but grinned back at him. "I didn't find anything stronger", she smiled. Standing up, she grabbed his beer and placed both their bottles down on his bedside table. She turned around and stepped in between his open legs, noticing the way his eyes widened as he looked at her.

"Nick... Are you OK?", she asked, keeping her voice down and staring at him.

He sighed and rubbed his scruff, breathing deeply. "Yeah, Jess. I will be."

"Do you want to talk about it?", she tried, placing her hand on his shoulder and squeezing gently. "You can tell me anything. I know you have been..."

"It's fine, Jess", he interrupted, a little more bitterly than expected. He immediatly regreted it as he saw her flinch and drop her hand from his shoulder. But when she tried to move away from him, his hand shot out and grabbed her arm. "Wait! Don't...", he stood up, his eyes leveling with hers. "Don't go, please." She looked at him briefly and nodded her head, following him back to the bed. She folded her legs under her body and turned to look at him, already resting his back against the headboard. "It was amazing. What you did today, Jess...", he sighed. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and smiled at him. "Of course, Nick. That's what I'm here for."

Taking his hand in between hers, she stroked it gently, running her hand over his knuckles. He lifted his other hand to her face and ran his fingertips against her cheek, watching her eyes close briefly as she nuzzled into his caress. Tilting her head to the side, she rested her lips against the back of his hand. "It'll be OK, Nick", she whispered. Meeting his gaze, she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his. The sudden action surprised him, but before he knew it, his lips had already molded to hers, his tongue invading her mouth as he groaned possesively. She threw her arms over his neck and dragged him closer, his hands going around her waist and pulling her to him. His strong grip on her intensified when she ran her hand through his hair, and he sucked her lower lip hungrily. The moan that escaped her throat snapped her out of trance, and placing her hands on his chest, she pushed him back.

"This is not right", she breathed, trying desperately not to throw herself at him again when she saw his eyes flashing with hurt. "Nick, you just lost your father. This is not... I wanted to comfort you, to be here for you. This is not what you need right now..."

He held his finger up against her lips and silenced her. "No, Jess. That's where you are wrong. This is exactly what I need."

Her stomach flipped at his words. "But..."

The words died in her throat as he leaned forward again and captured her lips in a hard and passionate kiss. She offered no resistance, closing her eyes and letting him lead. He finally broke apart, but rested his forehead against hers and stared right into her eyes. Sighing, he sat back straight, and smiled when she laced their fingers together and placed their joined hands in her lap. No words were spoken as they just looked at each other, the quiet and darkened room surrounding them. "Stay here tonight", he said.

She pushed back from him so she could stare into his eyes. "I don't want to...", he motioned to his bed. "Stay with me, Jess", he pleaded. His heart beating against his chest, he held his breath and waited for her answer. Unable to contain the smile that crept into his face as he saw her nod her head, he got up from the bed and held his hand out to her, helping her to her feet. "Do, uhm.. Do you prefer right or left side?", he asked.

Smiling at him, she pushed him back to lie on the middle of the bed. "Neither." She lied next to him, and rolled over to his body. She propped herself up on his chest and kissed him slowly, leaving them both breathless before breaking away and snuggling into his body. Her arms going around his waist and her leg sneaking between his, she buried her face in his neck. "Like this", she murmured, and he couldn't keep his heart from flipping and beating. He pressed her to him and rested his hand on the curve of her waist, molding his body to hers and pressing a light kiss to the top of her head. And for the first time since they'd gotten to Chicago, he slept through the night. Knowing that she was there, feeling her whole being that close to him, somehow made his pain less intense.

The first thing he saw when he woke up, their bodies tangled together, were her big blue eyes already staring back at him. And he knew.

_Everything's going to be alright._


End file.
